Pork Belly with Home made apple sauce

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Ingredients

• Pork Belly
• Salt
• Oil

For Apple Sauce

• 2 x apples grated
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Water OR Pan Juice from the Roast

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. Lightly cover the pork with olive oil and liberally coat with a good quality sea salt flake.
2. Place the pork in the oven and monitor closely
3. After 15 -20 minutes, turn down the temperature to 150 degrees and cook for another 30 minutes
4. Take the pork out and turn the oven back to 220 degrees. Once the oven is at the maximum temperature, place the pork belly back inside and monitor closely.
5. Once the crackling is done, take the pork out and let it rest.
6. For the apple sauce mix all the ingredients together in a small pot or pan and cook until it’s very soft.
7. Pour into a container or blender and blitz until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add water or pan juices until it’s at the desired consistency. Serve with mash, salad or roast vegetables.

Blake’s Pork Belly Tips 

• I always leave my pork in the fridge uncovered for 24 hours to dry out.
• Scoring can help you get a better crackle by allowing moisture to escape, but it isn’t necessary.
• Try to avoid vacuum packed pork, especially if you’re planning on cooking it that day. If you do have vacuum packed pork: pat it dry, score it, tip boiling water over the top, pat dry again, cover with salt and leave it in the fridge uncovered for 24 hours.
• Pork belly is probably the most difficult cut of pork to get good crackling on. If you’ve never tried making it before, use ’round cuts’ like rolled loin or pork leg. They are a bit easier to master
• Use Good quality salt. Plain table salt won’t cut it. A soft flaky sea salt is the best option as it actually heats up and can help bluster the surface.

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